Gyeonggi Governor candidate Choo Mi-ae appealing for support [Seongnam=Yonhap News]

The People Power Party filed a complaint with the police on the 1st, alleging that Choo Mi-ae, candidate for Gyeonggi Governor from the Democratic Party, spread false information while explaining allegations about her son's military service during a TV debate.

The People Power Party's Central Election Campaign Committee's Clean Election Headquarters stated in a press release that day, "We have filed a complaint with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency against candidate Choo for the offense of disseminating false information under the Public Official Election Act."

The headquarters explained, "During the televised debate for Gyeonggi Governor candidates hosted by the Election Broadcasting Debate Commission on May 27th, candidate Choo was asked about allegations related to her son's military service and stated that '(the case related to my son) was concluded with no charges.'"

It further pointed out, "Upon verification, the case is currently suspended due to an unknown whereabouts of the suspect. Suspension of prosecution does not mean the investigation has concluded; it means the investigation has been temporarily halted because the suspect's whereabouts are unknown, preventing further proceedings," adding, "To frame this as a dismissal of charges is a clear falsehood that misleads voters' choices."

The party urged, "Providing accurate information about candidates is a fundamental principle of fair elections, and we therefore call for a thorough investigation to uncover the truth."

Earlier, candidate Choo had responded to allegations raised by People Power Party candidate Yang Hyang-ja during the TV debate on the 27th of last month. These allegations claimed that her son extended his leave while serving as a KATUSA through contact with his aide, and that there was a request for favors in selecting an interpreter for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics. Choo had stated, "These are all baseless claims and defamation," and explained, "The matter has already been concluded with no charges."